Desertion and the IDF

The Israeli Knesset is considering legislation that would lengthen the time of absence needed to qualify as desertion (18 months, up from 21 days) and shorten the maximum permissible punishment (from 15 years to 7 (10 in time of war)). Details here. Excerpt:

Deputy Chairman of the Knesset Foreign Affairs and Defense, Colonel MK Moti Yogev (Jewish Home [party]) welcomed the new amendments: "The IDF’s AWOL law to imprison a soldier for 15 years is a disproportionate sentence, which is why the Military Advocate General and the Committee approved the initiative for a reduced punishment.” 

“In reality, the amount of AWOL soldiers is not so high and circumstances of desertion are usually situational, caused by socioeconomic difficult or due to lack of adjustment as a result of being part of large Aliyah waves. This is what led the Commission to approve a reduced threshold of maximum punishment and to also extended the duration of retaining a soldier who did not intend to return to service for 18 months instead of 21 days," said Yogev.